Take a Drive Over History on the Covington-Cincinnati Bridge

By: Catherine Amick |
November 13, 2014

Once the largest suspension bridge in the world, the John A. Roebling Suspension Bridge continues to be a distinctive historical landmark and a hub of activity between Cincinnati, Ohio, and Covington, Kentucky.

Erie Insurance started offering auto insurance in Kentucky this fall, expanding our reach from Ohio and other surrounding states. So we appreciated the connection the bridge symbolizes and the rich history that comes with it—history that thousands of cars and buses traverse every day.

What’s worth knowing about The Cincinnati-Covington Bridge?

It’s among the greatest and most important historic bridges in the United States, having been built in 1866 using a hybrid technique of cable-stays and suspension.

Contractor John A. Roebling and his son used the same ground-breaking techniques in building this bridge as they did several decades later to construct the Brooklyn Bridge.

Plans for the bridge began in the 1840s, when it was decided that trade between Ohio and Kentucky could not continue without a permanent and sturdy form of transportation between the two states.

It was one of the most challenging bridges to charter and build due to ferry companies opposing the construction, skepticism from other suspension bridges collapsing and the interruption posed by the Civil War. Once completed, it was a groundbreaking achievement for all involved.

When the first pedestrians crossed the bridge on Dec. 1, 1866, it was the longest suspension bridge in the world with a main span of 1,057 feet.

The bridge was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975.

It remains the busiest of Cincinnati’s four nonexpressway automobile bridges.

It’s well-loved by those who live in the connecting cities and those just visiting, with some calling it “The First Brooklyn Bridge.”

The history of the bridge has been formally celebrated each summer for the past 10 years as part of an effort to continually support the historic landmark.